Sarah Palin in 'Going Rogue': John McCain camp set me up for disaster in Katie Couric interviews
BY David Saltonstall
DAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Originally Published:Friday, November 13th 2009, 12:26 AM
Updated: Friday, November 13th 2009, 6:03 PM
CBS News/AP
Sarah Palin walks along the grounds of the UN with Katie Couric in September of 2008.
Harper/AP
Sarah Palin's 'Going Rogue.' For more on Sarah Palin's journey from governor to VP candidate to author, click image.
Sarah Palin says she was blindsided by Katie Couric's devastating interviews last year because John McCain's aides lulled her into thinking the CBS anchorwoman was a fan.
In Palin's new book, "Going Rogue," the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee reveals that her handlers talked up Couric as a working mom - just like her - who was struggling with low self-esteem and even lower ratings.
Couric liked and admired her, advised campaign media honcho Nicolle Wallace. The interviews would be a nice favor.
The scouting reports were so sympathetic, Palin writes, that that she almost began to "feel sorry" for Couric.
As it turned out, Palin should have been feeling fear - the Couric interviews were widely regarded as a moose-in-the-headlights disaster for the Alaska governor, whose answers were mostly rambling and nonresponsive.
Palin now writes that Couric was "badgering," had a "partisan agenda" and edited out Palin's substantive remarks in favor of "gotcha" lines.
A CBS source close to Couric responded last night, "The interviews speak for themselves." Wallace did not immediately answer a request for comment.
Palin's rips on Couric were among the sharpest in the much-hyped 413-page memoir that scored her a $1.25 million advance and is already a best-seller. Although the book doesn't officially go on sale until Tuesday, The Associated Press reported excerpts yesterday.
Judging by The AP's account, readers aren't likely to learn much new about Palin. One tidbit: As a girl, she dreamed of working alongside sportscaster Howard Cosell.
Palin confirms lingering hard feelings with many McCain aides, and the feeling is mutual. One ex-campaign official predicted the book will kill off whatever presidential dreams she may harbor for 2012.
"This will reinforce the fact that 25% of the country loves her and everybody else thinks she's not up to it," the source said.
The book also includes much of what her fans, and foes, might expect. There are tributes to family and faith and patriotism, and attacks against the media and other perceived opponents.
She writes about the "jaded aura" of professional campaigns, and she expresses awe about how aides hired a New York stylist - who was also Couric's stylist - to make her over.
Taken aback, she wondered who was paying for the $150,000 worth of fancy clothes - expenditures that would later cause a furor.
But family members were told it was being taken care of or was "part of the convention."
Palin also shares behind-the-scene moments when the nation learned her unwed teen daughter, Bristol, was pregnant. She told of how she rewrote a statement prepared for her by the McCain campaign - only to watch in horror as a TV anchor read the original statement, which, in Palin's view, glamorized her daughter's situation.
But the Couric interviews may be her worst memory.
The McCain campaign tried to convince Palin that she had performed well. But even Palin didn't believe that, as she told Oprah Winfrey in excerpts of a taped TV interview released yesterday.
"I'm thinking, if you thought that was a good interview, I don't know what a bad interview is," Palin said.
[email protected]
With Thomas M. DeFrank in Washington
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...as_surprised_by_teams_goof_palin_sez_in_.html
I think this has set up an interesting precedent. Let's say you're a politician who is a newcomer to the national scene. Alan Smith sets up an interview for you with Katie Couric, who apparently admires you.
Since she admires you, you think you don't have to prepare for the interview and look up controversial SCOTUS cases. You also don't have to remember any newspapers or magazines you read. You definitely don't have to be able to name examples where your running mate has been a 'maverick', even though that's one of your main talking points.
The interview is disastrous and you are unable to answer the most basic questions without rambling on with disconnected talking points.
Based on Palin's book, you no longer have to accept any blame for this interview. It wasn't your fault that YOU screwed up. In fact, it was Alan Smith's fault because he
ed up your head; you thought it would be a softball interview and you wouldn't have to prepare at all.
The Republican party, the party of personal responsibility should be ashamed of this woman. Whatever happened to mea culpa?
BY David Saltonstall
DAILY NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
Originally Published:Friday, November 13th 2009, 12:26 AM
Updated: Friday, November 13th 2009, 6:03 PM
Sarah Palin walks along the grounds of the UN with Katie Couric in September of 2008.
Harper/APSarah Palin's 'Going Rogue.' For more on Sarah Palin's journey from governor to VP candidate to author, click image.
Sarah Palin says she was blindsided by Katie Couric's devastating interviews last year because John McCain's aides lulled her into thinking the CBS anchorwoman was a fan.
In Palin's new book, "Going Rogue," the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee reveals that her handlers talked up Couric as a working mom - just like her - who was struggling with low self-esteem and even lower ratings.
Couric liked and admired her, advised campaign media honcho Nicolle Wallace. The interviews would be a nice favor.
The scouting reports were so sympathetic, Palin writes, that that she almost began to "feel sorry" for Couric.
As it turned out, Palin should have been feeling fear - the Couric interviews were widely regarded as a moose-in-the-headlights disaster for the Alaska governor, whose answers were mostly rambling and nonresponsive.
Palin now writes that Couric was "badgering," had a "partisan agenda" and edited out Palin's substantive remarks in favor of "gotcha" lines.
A CBS source close to Couric responded last night, "The interviews speak for themselves." Wallace did not immediately answer a request for comment.
Palin's rips on Couric were among the sharpest in the much-hyped 413-page memoir that scored her a $1.25 million advance and is already a best-seller. Although the book doesn't officially go on sale until Tuesday, The Associated Press reported excerpts yesterday.
Judging by The AP's account, readers aren't likely to learn much new about Palin. One tidbit: As a girl, she dreamed of working alongside sportscaster Howard Cosell.
Palin confirms lingering hard feelings with many McCain aides, and the feeling is mutual. One ex-campaign official predicted the book will kill off whatever presidential dreams she may harbor for 2012.
"This will reinforce the fact that 25% of the country loves her and everybody else thinks she's not up to it," the source said.
The book also includes much of what her fans, and foes, might expect. There are tributes to family and faith and patriotism, and attacks against the media and other perceived opponents.
She writes about the "jaded aura" of professional campaigns, and she expresses awe about how aides hired a New York stylist - who was also Couric's stylist - to make her over.
Taken aback, she wondered who was paying for the $150,000 worth of fancy clothes - expenditures that would later cause a furor.
But family members were told it was being taken care of or was "part of the convention."
Palin also shares behind-the-scene moments when the nation learned her unwed teen daughter, Bristol, was pregnant. She told of how she rewrote a statement prepared for her by the McCain campaign - only to watch in horror as a TV anchor read the original statement, which, in Palin's view, glamorized her daughter's situation.
But the Couric interviews may be her worst memory.
The McCain campaign tried to convince Palin that she had performed well. But even Palin didn't believe that, as she told Oprah Winfrey in excerpts of a taped TV interview released yesterday.
"I'm thinking, if you thought that was a good interview, I don't know what a bad interview is," Palin said.
[email protected]
With Thomas M. DeFrank in Washington
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...as_surprised_by_teams_goof_palin_sez_in_.html
I think this has set up an interesting precedent. Let's say you're a politician who is a newcomer to the national scene. Alan Smith sets up an interview for you with Katie Couric, who apparently admires you.
Since she admires you, you think you don't have to prepare for the interview and look up controversial SCOTUS cases. You also don't have to remember any newspapers or magazines you read. You definitely don't have to be able to name examples where your running mate has been a 'maverick', even though that's one of your main talking points.
The interview is disastrous and you are unable to answer the most basic questions without rambling on with disconnected talking points.
Based on Palin's book, you no longer have to accept any blame for this interview. It wasn't your fault that YOU screwed up. In fact, it was Alan Smith's fault because he
ed up your head; you thought it would be a softball interview and you wouldn't have to prepare at all.The Republican party, the party of personal responsibility should be ashamed of this woman. Whatever happened to mea culpa?
